Set Fire To The Rain
by Gleekoutx5
Summary: She's running away from her problems, her friends and no one has a clue where she is. But what happens when the unexpected turns when the only boy Mercedes could ever love, ends up looking for her?
1. Running With The Silence

**A/N:** This is my first fanfic of Fiercedes so hopefully I did an okay job, it was a difficult process writing this since I was on writers block. I really liked Adele's song 'Set Fire The Rain' and I wanted to use it as a title to this story. As always I don't own Glee or anyone associated with them, I only own my OC's and that's about it! Reviews would be so helpful if you have any ideas or anything I could add to the story :)

* * *

She sat there.

Just staring at the letter she had just written two in the morning, describing to her mom how she was running away and not coming home. Ever since her parents got divorce, Mercedes just doesn't know what to do anymore with her life on strain. She feels like crying and sometimes blaming her self for not looking like any other skinny girl, it was horrible. There were things that been bothering her for awhile- for instants, the Glee club. Ever since last year everything has change, everyone just seemed too busy on themselves. Now since they won regional the entire spotlight has been on Rachel- the thought of her almost made her cringe, when was the last time someone asked _her _to sing a solo?

It's didn't make sense and everyone just congratulated each other and leave out Mercedes except two people- Santana and Finn. She always like Santana even through her bitchy attitude, she couldn't help but be brutally honest to people. She and Santana always got along ever since they did a duet together, even though people didn't see there friendship to be real because they were two different people, in reality they were very much alike.

However, Finn, he was different- Mercedes _actually_ liked him. It all began once Finn's mom and him moved into Kurt's house and she started to sleepover there, a lot. During that time, she and Finn became good friends. Mercedes ran her hands over her face as she tried to cover the tears that were streaming down, memories were flashing back to her as she tried to ignore them.

* * *

**Few months ago...**

"_Jones"_

"_Hudson," Mercedes said as she and Finn were eye-to-eye playing against each other in Call of Duty._

"_Mercedes," Finn said stretching. "Do you really want to mess with this? I will use thunder on your game play!"_

_She scoffed. "Please, I will use a hail storm on your ass." _

"_Well then!" Finn rolled his eyes as he gave a quick glace at her before turning his head back at the TV. _

_The duo began to mess with the controllers they had on their hands and pressed every button they possibly can to win the level. _

"_Go Cedes, Go!" Kurt shouted from the back as he cheered her on._

"_Kurttttt….I thought you were going on my team!" Finn pouted as his eyes were still on the TV and Mercedes killing his character._

_Then all of a sudden, blood splashed against the screen as Finn character died leaving him in defeat and Mercedes in pure happiness. _

"_I won," she jumps off the couch and did a little dance around Finn. "You loss!"_

"_Yay Mercedes!" Kurt said running over to her, embracing into a big hug. "This is the 5th__ time in a row, you've beaten Finn."_

"_Kurt, did you really have to say that?" Finn got up the couch and walked over to the two best friends. "You know how much I always wanted to beat Mercedes, no offense."_

_She slightly nodded at him as Kurt walked away from them. Mercedes nudged Finn. "Oh cheer up Finn, I'll let you win next time, how does that sound?"_

_He shrugged his shoulders then turns his head to her. "I guess…its okay, thanks Cedes."_

_He gave her a little hug and kissed her cheek then walked away to the kitchen. She gape at him as it was the first time he has ever done that to her, especially since he's with Rachel- if she found out, she would have broke up with Finn if she knew that he just gave a little kiss to Mercedes on her cheek. _

_In that very instant, is when she started liking Finn but knew that she didn't have a chance with him. After that moment, they hardly even talked anymore for the problems that were in their way. _

* * *

She sighed as she slowly tried to get up from the chair but she couldn't for all the emotions that were weighting her down. She felt so distances from everyone to her mom- who was coping with the divorce from her father, who moved out of the house a few weeks ago. She wanted someone to hear her out, someone to understand what she has been feeling lately, _someone_ to feel what she's feel, or at least hug her and tell her that everything is going to okay. No, there was no one like that she thought repeatedly inside her head, maybe there won't be anyone like that.

She quietly got up from the chair and grabbed her bags, the two letters she had written in the past hour and walked out of her room. Outside in the hallway she was making sure that her feet didn't squeak against the hardwood floor- hoping not to wake up her mother. Mercedes slowly step-by-step walked down the stairs until she reached to the front door, she silently dropped her bags on the floor and walked over to the kitchen and put down the two letters on the counter for her mother to see. She then, walked back to the front door and grabbed her bags again slowly and carefully opening the door to the night sky outside. The cold air hit her face as she walked out of her house and onto the street.

She walked down the path until she spotted her car from far view- she parked it away from her house so when she turned the engine on, her mother wouldn't know if it came outside of their driveway. Yes, she planned this for awhile now but she didn't think it was _actually_ going to happen, she felt her heart throbbing in anticipation and this apprehensive feeling on her, she wasn't really looking forward to it but all she wanted to do was get the hell out of this town.

She sat inside her car and breath in the air that was surrounding her, she was going to miss all her friends back in glee club, but she was going to miss Finn too, even though she sounded kind of weird saying that. She was going to miss his weird and spontaneous ideas, miss the way how he played the drums, she'll miss how he will sometimes go against Rachel's boundaries, she'll miss...everything about him.

"I love Finn…" Mercedes said as she looked upon to the night sky and with a confused expression on her face. "I love Finn?"

"No…" she playfully shrugged the thought out of her head and turned the engine on, then typing down the address on the GPS where she was going to go: California. She drives off the street, pass by her house, and pass by the store she used to go to, pass by the park she used to play in the sandbox as a kid. When she passes by Finn's house, she stops the car and looks at the window to his bedroom. The only words that slipped out of her mouth were covered with tears drops that fell inside the car and that screeching noise she press on the pedal to go faster.

"I'm sorry for loving you, Finn."


	2. Being Notice When Your Not There

**A/N: **Sorry for the crappy and short chapter you guys, I mind wasn't really on task about some of the grammatical errors, so please don't get mad at me. Oh, thank you for all those story alerts and reviews, those were really nice and made me feel a bit special, sorry if I sound stupid, but hopefully I will probably get more favorites to this story if not, that's okay I appreciate you all **:) **

* * *

She wasn't here today.

She always came to school, through the rain, the snow or even anything else, but she was always here and he will be the first one to see her. Every morning, whenever he gets out of his car and waits for Puck, he sees her, parking her car and gets out with a smile on her face as she meets up Tina and Mike and they head off to go inside school. He knew that she didn't know that he always watched her- well, observing her. But recently, he hasn't seen her smile, her _real_ genuine smile, since Kurt left. Moreover, when she did crack open those flashing whiten teeth, he knew it was fake. He looked over at her seat at least 3 times before Mr. Schue told him to look at the board in Spanish class. He thought it was strange- Mercedes always came to school, maybe she might have a doctor's appointment or something. His eyes met towards the door and watch with an eager look on his face waiting for her to walk in and have a late pass, but no...she didn't come.

He sat in Glee in between his _still _ex-girlfriend, Rachel and his newly once _again_ ex, Quinn- he wasn't really sure if he made a decision about taking Rachel back, but he knew he made a good decision about breaking up with Quinn, she was just using his for prom, for that he needed to thank Mercedes for caring enough for him. As Rachel's hand smoothed over his, he looked back and smiled at her, then he looked towards Mercedes seat and sighed. Finn always thought that Mercedes was beautiful- her eyes, her smile, her diva like attitude and her smooth curvy body that sometimes he will stare at while no one was looking, she was pure beauty.

"Hey guys-" Mr. Schue stopped talking once he saw the empty seat of Mercedes and looked over at the kids.

"-where's Mercedes?" he asked them as their eyes looked towards her seat and back at Mr. Schue.

Santana looked around for someone to raise their hand, no one. So she took the opportunity to do it herself.

"Mr. Schue, Mercedes didn't come to school today."

"Oh," he said as he sat down on his chair. It wasn't normal for Mercedes to be absent from school today, especially from Glee. Mr. Schuester thought it was a bit strange but he tried to think the bright side of it as she might come the next day.

And so the period went on with full of Rachel's solo and song suggestion for Nationals and Brittany, who wanted to share a song about her cat, and only Artie would appreciate it while everyone were slightly confused about it.

* * *

Santana walked away from the school as she wanted to skipped the last period of Living Environment and go straight home, or to the mall- but something was bothering her lately and somehow she didn't like the feel of it.

She's falling for Sam…

Sure, she became very annoyed whenever he tried to do those Dark Vader sound effects, but somehow _she _liked it and that wasn't normal for her. He always waited for her outside the glee club and walked her inside, it was everyday routine and she couldn't stand it.

But she couldn't help but love it, ugh what was she thinking? She's Santana Fucking Lopez, and she does fall for a guppy, chatty, big lips, stupid boy!

"Ugh, where's Mercedes when you need her?" she thought to her self as she went to looked through her phone dialing Mercedes number. She needed someone to talk about her problems to, especially the one that she's dealing with now.

RING. RING. RIN-

"Mercedes pick up the fucking phone!" she yelled out in the middle of the street as

Pedestrians walked by her, she glared at them as she walked across straight to her house.

"_Hey its Mercedes, I'm not at the phone right now so leave your mess-_" Santana hanged up the phone.

"Fuck it," she pressed on Mercedes number once again, but decided to leave her a little text message.

_Mercy, where are you when I need you? I got some serious problems & this time it ain't about Brittany, it's about my guppy mouth Sam. So PLEASE call or text me back whenever you can and when I meant whenever I meant when you get this text, like now._

Santana walked inside her house and dropped her bag on the nearby table beside her. She yelled out for her mom before remembering she went somewhere for the week and won't be coming back until later tonight. She grabbed her phone again and dialed a familiar number.

"Hey Sam, bring your little guppy mouth over here, I need to get my mackin' on"

Little did Santana know, while talking to Sam- that Mercedes wasn't going to pick up her cell phone, or reach her…ever again.


	3. Wipe Away Your Past

Eight hours.

Eight _goddamn_ hours of driving.

Mercedes was already going berserk once she saw the sign to California, only a mile away- she was relief to finally be out of Lima or in fact that gas station she just stop at, where an mid-age man tried to grabbed her butt before she saw the round mirror in the top corner and turned to him with a disgusted look on her face and kicked in the place where no man wanted to be kick. While the man cried in agony on the floor, her mouth showered with foul words that _she_ didn't even wanted to say. She only left him 4 dollars for filling up her gas; she thought he didn't deserve the other amount that she owned him.

As she was in the middle of traffic she kept her left hand on the wheel while the right one was quickly looked through her purse in search of her cell phone- just in case anyone left any phone calls or messages since it was on vibrate.

**_10 missed calls, 2 text messages and 3 voice mails_**

"Whoa, let's see who called me…" she pressed on a button for the list of the missed calls and she wasn't really surprised.

"Mom, Mom, Kurt, Kurt, Kurt, Tina, Mike, Tina, Santana, Finn…" she stopped and looked over the list again. "Finn?"

"Well…it's probably something about Rachel he needs to know about." she assured her self before she checked her messages.

_**4/3/11**_

_**From: **__Kurt_

_**To: **__Mercedes_

_Hey Cedes! Me and Blaine are off to the opening of the new Marc Jacob's store, you wanna come? Just call me if you in it so we can all go together!_

She sighed, no more moments with Kurt and Blaine- she hoped that Blaine will take better care of Kurt then she did and made sure he doesn't break his heart because if he does…well lets just keep those details in private. She deleted the message from Kurt and went to check the second one.

_**4/3/11**_

_**From: **__Santana _

_**To: **__Mercedes_

_Mercy, where are you when I need you? I got some serious problems & this time it ain't about Brittany, it's about my guppy mouth Sam. So PLEASE call or text me back whenever you can and when I meant whenever I meant when you get this text, like now._

Mercedes laughed before she looked up at the car window and saw the other cars in front of her moving, she pressed on engine and drove along the highway. She thought about her life back in Ohio, are the effects of her disappearance working on some people? Will she ever think of going back home if this California or Los Angeles thing doesn't work out? Will anyone back home miss her? Mercedes wasn't sure of these questions but she just wanted to forget the past that was behind her and look forward to the new life that's in front of her. Sure, after Eight hours of driving and only 2 stops to close her eyes for only a couple of minutes- it better be all worth it to come over here.

Finally California…

Her eyes glisten against the sun as she pass by Hollywood boulevard and the walk of fame, she smiled as people walked by in their shorts and tank tops as the fresh brand new air ran inside her car as her windows were down. She finally felt happy, like…if this was place where she belongs. But first, she needed somewhere to stay and a job. Mercedes was prepare to what was coming to her, she brought half of her clothes, her phone, laptop- basically almost everything including the most important thing, money. A week before she left, she went off to the bank and withdraws everything she had in, around $600- thanks to her father, who desperately told her saved up since she was a little girl. She quickly went through her phone again and finally went through her voice mail.

_**You have 2 new voice messages**_

_Mercedes…it's me, Mom. Please, j-just call me back…or come back home. PLEASE, I missed- you didn't have to do this, we could have just talked about the whole…thing. Baby please, come home. _

Her mother's voice was filled with so much sadness within her it was unbearable to hear what she was trying to say, as her speech was covered with tears. Mercedes wanted to cry, but she knew she couldn't as she tried to keep her self in a place where she didn't want to feel any emotion towards her home, her place, her life. She thought that if, she stayed in Ohio…that she might become something that she didn't want to be again and she might make the same mistakes as she did before. Maybe here would be different. Maybe her life wouldn't be filled with so much drama or with so much pain that she feels towards her self or to anyone that ignores her whenever she tries talking to them. Does anyone truly listen to her whenever she has any ideas to share? No…not really, all she wanted was to be listen.

Listen, heard, whatever you called it.

But more importantly, she wanted love. Something you can get through the day with, something to tell a person and they can say it back, a word that everyone knows, Love. She felt the craving for someone to say that they love her- Kurt doesn't even say it to her anymore, and he'll only meant it as a friend. As a little girl, she used to have dreams of finding her prince charming like all the other Disney princesses and they madly fall in love, why couldn't she? As she grew older, she started to realize…life isn't like any fairy tale story, its suck. There's no prince charming, there's no happy ending and there's no moral to it. And her prince charming…doesn't even know that _she_ loves _him_.

She deleted her mother's voice mail and went to the second.

**_One new voice message_**

_Hey Cedes, it's me…Finn. I didn't see you in school today and I was just a bit worry since you're like never absent and I was just calling seeing if you were okay. If you're wondering, we only got chemistry homework today. Well anyways, I gotta go so just call me when you can to get the home work from my house or if y-you wanna talk sometime. So, bye Mercedes. _

She dropped the phone, not even Puck or anyone else besides Tina, Mike and Santana called her or at least leave her a voice mail. The only boy that she thought wouldn't recognize her disappearance, just called her to see if she was okay and had her homework. A small smiled beamed across her face as she stopped at a red light. A tear dropped went down her cheek as she pulled over in front of a small diner and got out of her car.

Maybe someone did care about her…

* * *

**A/N: **Well so far, I think this chapter is...okay but not really my best. The next chapter will mostly be about Finn but also a little about Mercedes adventure in California.


	4. The Hard Life Is Going To Change

She was nervous, being around new surroundings, being around somewhere she's not very familiar to- she pulled off in front of a small restaurant near a motel she was interested in going to once she was done having, whatever she was going to have in the diner. She felt an queasy feeling in her abdomen as she got out of her car and walked towards the diner, she knew she was suppose to feel excited or happy to be in the place where fame starts in, but she couldn't- that feeling was covered up with guilt, anxiety and pain. Guilt, because she wished she didn't leave Lima, but knew it was way to go if she didn't want to feel anymore. Anxiety, ever since Sectionals she started to feel depress- she wasn't sure why but, then the truth came around later on. One, when her friends started to ignore her and wouldn't listened to her whatever she had something to say. It was painful and what hurt more was when her parents announced they were having a divorce, it broke her shell even more. She tried to suppress the pain she had with a smile on her face, but she knew she couldn't hold it any longer.

She opened the door into the restaurant, as it ringed ding and some eyes turned to her, she walked down to the back and sat down to a table that was near a table. As she sat down, her eyes turned to the window and watched the cars passes by on the road- she seemed so distracted by just thinking about home, that all of a sudden a waiter came by.

"Hi, I'll be your waiter, what would you like?" the waiter said bubbly as she appears to her.

"Oh, um, hello…" Mercedes sat up straight and quickly grabbed the menu that was on top of the table, she had absolutely no idea what she wanted since she didn't pay attention to what she craved for hunger, so she just randomly picked whatever she typically has back home. "Um, can I just get a hamburger and some fries on the side, also some sprit soda?"

She stared back at the small waiter with a smiled and handed her back the menu. "Okay then, I'll be back in a few with your order."

Mercedes nodded at the waiter before she turned away to the window, and just tried to put all her thoughts about home to the side and think about something else. However, that was a challenge, how could she possible think of something else besides home? Well for starters, how about thinking where to get a job? She already got down where she wanted to stay or practically live at while she stayed here-, which was at that small motel across the small restaurant. Okay, so she probably got this running away stuff pretty well- she left a note for her mom and left one for someone else, that she _really _didn't want to keep in mind. She grabbed all the money she had and drive off in her car where she stopped at a gas station and met a very disturbing sexual man who tried to grabbed her ass and then noticing it by a mirror that near by and brutally kicking him in the groin. She then just went off and arrived to her destination to as of right now, ready to eat whatever she ordered.

And nothing stopped her to turned around and go home,

She was proud of herself for actually succeeding to run away from home, where she heard bad stories of teenagers running away and been killed, raped or something. She was happy that she wasn't one of _those_ teens- that she survived for whatever could have took its turn if she did this or if she didn't do that. Ugh, and she didn't even want to even think about her own disgusting, grisly death if someone tried to lay their hands on her and lead her to a dark place, saying they had a job offering for her and that they paid well. For her to think about this was all too much.

The waiter came back to her table and put down a plate of Mercedes order. "Okay, here's is your hamburger with fries on the side as well with Sprit, just like you said." The waiter smiled once more before she brushed her self off on her apron and walked away from Mercedes, before she said thank you.

She began to eat the fries first and looked out the window to see a couple walking by on the street, smiling and holding hands. She sighed. She would think that no one would like her for who she is or how much she weighed- Mercedes couldn't stand the way she looked, I mean she was happy about her flaws but as she aged, she just wished she would lose all the weigh she had and looked like Santana. Though, as she said to her self before, she didn't want to be something that she was not, but it's hard not to be when your in the city where plastic surgeries are just the casual thing and the beautiful beach bodies are just surrounding you everywhere. She didn't want all of that to happen to her, none of it.

She moved on to the burger, as she took her first bite into she savored the flavored filling up her mouth and onto her stomach, it was a good feeling. Then, she stopped and put the burger down on the plate, something started to bother her, a certain someone started to come into her mind. Besides her mom, the glee club and nothing else, she missed Finn- so; she decided to write him a letter, no one else but him. She hoped that once Finn was brave enough to end up giving her missing homework at her house, her mom would distribute the letter to him, and if he took the chance, he will read it. However, she knows that he will just probably throw the letter away and forget what he just read and move on to Quinn or Rachel. Just on that thought, she remember how annoying it was when Rachel and Finn were together, like _annoying_- he was even worse dating Quinn, now she remember that being a nightmare to her. She could recall a memory when she was in 9th grade, that she was just strolling down the hallway and Finn and Quinn were leaning against the locker, and that Quinn was snickering about something as Mercedes walked by her. She remember how she heard Quinn calling her fat behind her back and when she stared back at them, Finn has this…guilty look on his face, as if he couldn't do anything about it.

But, that was long ago, and Mercedes didn't like holding grudges…especially on Quinn, since she let her sleep in her house when she was pregnant.

As soon as Mercedes finished, she paid the bill and walked out of the small restaurant and walked towards her car, and looked over to the motel across the street. It didn't looked _that_ bad, well all the way from here- it looked like a simple, plain, ordinary motel…that hopefully didn't have any rapist in there. Now, she could not stop thinking about that stupid morbid thought about rapists and kidnappers- only that would have make her cringe. Either way, she was going to take a chance and head over to the motel. She quickly got inside her car and drove over to motel's parking space and took her bags inside, to where she sees a young women, no more then probably 20, sitting down on the front desk looking through an OK! Magazine.

Mercedes ranged the bell that was on top of the counter and women quickly react to it, stood up, and smiled at her. "Hi, welcome to the Hollywood motel, not really known around here but we have great service!"

All Mercedes could do was feel her eyebrows reached to her hairline. "Yeah, Um, I would like a room to stay in, and I wanna know how much would that be?"

"Oh!" the young women quickly looked under the counter and took out a medium size book filled with other residents staying in. "It would $90 dollars to stay over for a week, just for you." the young excitingly said as she pulled out a pen from her hair.

"Why?" Mercedes asked as she stared at the women in confusion. The women leaned over the counter and sighed at her.

"I could tell you're new around here and that you're young…_very_ young to be around." the young women assured to her as Mercedes felt like she has been caught. "Well, no mind to that, are you going to take the room?"

She did not know what to say to the women, is she _that _obvious to some people? She really didn't like that and became very uncertain what to respond to the women, if she ever brought up what she had said before. "Y-yes, I want the room."

"Good! Now, what is your name?" the young women asked as she looked down at the book filled with names of different people that made Mercedes wonder if Trey Songz ever stayed her before.

She was not sure if she wanted to say her real name, just in case anyone was going to look for her. So she decided it was best to use her middle name. "Marie…Marie Jones."

The young women lifted up her head and stared at Mercedes with a suspicious look on her face, she wasn't taken anything she was saying. "Now, tell me your _real_ name?"

"Excuse me?" Mercedes was taken back at what the women said. How can she possibly know if that is her name? "W-what! That _is_ my real name!"

The women shook her head and looked at Mercedes directly in her eyes. "That's not your _real_ name and you probably ran away from home."

Mercedes looked at her in shock, she suddenly felt a small lump on her throat as in she was caught and certainly, she had no idea how to react to it.

"I hit the jackpot didn't I?" the young women asked as she rested her hands on the counter. "The name's Karen if you would like to know, and I ran away from home at a young age too."

"How old?" Mercedes asked as she gulped down the lump she had in her throat, and suddenly became a bit calm.

"A few months before I was turning 19," Karen cleared her throat for a second and looked back at Mercedes. "After, I found I was pregnant with my daughter."

Mercedes stood there dumbfounded; not knowing what to say to the young women- whose name is Karen- standing in front of her. "Okay, okay…you got me, I ran away from home and I thought California would be the best place to stay."

"I been living ever since and it's definitely the best place to live in, if you know the good side of it!" she clapped her hands together and she lifted up her smiled.

"You seemed like the bubbly type, Karen."

"Oh yes! I always been like this, even through the tough life I had. I just tried to bring everyone's spirit up."

"Then you should meet a girl back from where I live. Her name's Brittany, she always seems like she up in the cloud sometimes!" Mercedes laughed at the comment she shared but then became silent as she officially had her first real laugh since…well she can't really remember.

"Well, that's pretty cool!" Karen joked around as put her hair up in a bun using a small rubber band around her wrist. "Hey…you never told me your name!"

Mercedes looked at her for a moment before deciding to tell Karen who she is, she was pretty positive that she wouldn't go off and tell the police that she found her or something. She just seemed like a trustworthy person to be around with and Mercedes could definitely feel a good vibe around her. Mercedes actually found herself happy here, from what she experienced in Ohio. She was certain that she probably was not going back home.

"Mercedes…Jones."

* * *

**A/N: **Okay so I lied a little bit, this chapter was full with Mercedes adventure but I promise you I'll tried to add in some Finn into the next chapter! Also, I just had this new idea of a story here's a little preview of the story:

**When Your Heart Beats Next To Mine**

_"But your Santana's little sister, what can you possibly want me to help you with?"_**  
**

"_Look, all I want is to lose my virginity so I can prove to people I'm not a loser, and I think you'll be the perfect one to help me."_

So does it sound a bit interesting, if it is then, please tell me!_  
_


	5. The Good And The Bad

**A/N: **Okay, I lied. Sorry I couldn't update yesterday, I sorta went out and when I came back home, I felt too tired to update. But here is the chapter and I think this one is much longer than the other ones.

* * *

"So, where are you from Mercedes?" Karen asked as Mercedes followed her from the counter to the outside, and then upstairs where all the rooms where. Mercedes felt weird towards this motel- besides the morbid thoughts in her head. She starting to compare Karen's motel to the motel that the movie Psycho had, except that there wasn't a house on top of the hill where a son disguises himself as his mother and murdered people.

"Ugh. Lima, Ohio" she replied as she stroll along the lane, as her the wheel of the suitcase went through a small rock, which caused the suitcase almost to tumble.

"Ooh…that's not bad, I'm from Detroit." Karen walked down the lane where all the rooms were on the second floor, looking at each door as she passes by them.

"The _good _side of the town?" Mercedes curiously asked.

"Hell no, the _bad _side of town. " Karen abruptly stopped in front of a blue door, number 18. Mercedes did not really believe that _this _girl was from the bad side of Detroit or from Detroit at _all_. "I mean it was a tough time growing up with a foster family, with not a lot of money."

Karen quickly took out a hand full of keys and opened the door for Mercedes, who suddenly felt bad for the girl. "Oh, I'm so sorry. My dad's a dentist and my mom was always home taking care of me, since I was an only child."

"You're lucky you have parents, Cedes. I don't know who my real parents are, I heard they died…when I was young, but I never took the time to know how…" Karen looked away at the hand full of keys. Mercedes almost swore she saw a frown when Karen looked away but when she turned back at her, Karen was full of smiles as she opens the door at full swing revealing her room. "Well…what'd ya think?"

Mercedes stepped inside the room. The walls were colored red as it had queen size bed in the middle of the room backed against the wall. A flat screen TV sitting on the right side of the room, a bathroom in the near corner and a small lamp on top of a small drawer. She looked back at Karen and smile, as she was impressed. "Wow! Are all the rooms like this?"

Karen's eyes darted around the room then looked back at Mercedes. "No, some are blue or white; I just like to mix up the rooms up."

"That's pretty awesome, but where did you get-"

"The TV?" Karen asked. She started to walk around the room and then settle her self in front of the bathroom mirror as she could see Mercedes behind her.

"Well…I originally started working here as maid service to support myself when I was pregnant and this place was a wreck! I mean, I gotta tell you, this place was shitty as hell- the TV's wouldn't work most of the time, the walls were in _horrible _colors and the bathrooms…Ooh don't _even_ get me started on the bathrooms, they were just disgusting with…whatever they had!"

Mercedes was disgusted as she heard Karen blabbered on about how the motel was in horrible shape back then. "So, when did all of sudden this place started to change?"

"When the owner left, he left the place to me. The first few months were just bad, but then this old man- who's name is Franklin by the way- came in to stay and left about a month later, saying I was the kindest person, since I gave him a great time when he was here," Karen walked out of the bathroom and sat on the edge of the bed as she started fiddling around with the keys of all the rooms. Mercedes followed to do the same thing as she sat next to her. "But when Franklin left, a few weeks later I got a check, along with it was a letter saying that Franklin died. It said he updated his will a few weeks before he passed away and gave all of his money to me…since he didn't have a family either. It said that after staying in the motel, he thought I needed the money more than him. After that day, I had the highest degree about life and I pay more attention to people now, because you'll never realize who needs a smile to make their day."

"Is that why you gave me a different price for the room?" Mercedes asking as she finally understands why Karen is so bubbly; she just tries to make someone smile when they need it.

"Yes. I knew you were a runaway the second you came in here and even though we just met, I can understand how you feel about many things. At your age, you feel the need to leave where you came from because you feel that a better place is somewhere else. I thought that too when I was younger."

Mercedes stared at her like as she was a ghost trying to say hello, she could not believe it but…everything she was saying was the exact way Mercedes felt. She thought it was amazing that someone _actually _understood her, not even Kurt could not understand what she was trying to say most of the time. "Y-you…understand me…."

"Yes, I do…or at least I try to." she looked slightly confused but shrugged the thought off. "I try to relate to everyone with their problems but, I know I can't really experience what everyone experiences in this world."

"What you just told me, that's kind of deep…you have good wisdom." Mercedes said as she slowly nodded her head.

"Well, I never thought I have wisdom, but yeah, you got to treat life as it was a good deal."

"Wow, from a- wait, I have no idea how old you are, if you don't mind me asking?" Mercedes stopped on her tracks

"I'm 20 years old. I know I'm not old, but I surely do feel old because of my daughter," she said to her as she checked her cell phone real quick and put on her sunglasses. "Oh…speaking of which, I got to pick her up from the daycare center, do you want to come and meet her?"

"Um…sure, why not." Mercedes forced herself a smile. She felt if she went with Karen to pick up her daughter, then she'll get closer to her. Though, she was not good with kids, or a _baby_. She was scared- what if the Karen's baby didn't like her and threw up all over her? On the other hand, what if she was holding Karen's baby and the baby tugged on her ear? All these thoughts made her a bit nervous to meet wisdom Karen's baby, but as they kept on walking Karen said there was nothing to be worried about her daughter, to calm Mercedes nerve as she can _see _her facial expressions when they were getting closer to the day care center.

"So do you got a guy back home, or do you _like_ a guy back home?" Karen asked as she looked at Mercedes.

Once again, she felt that small lump in her throat when Karen mention about a _guy _back home- it made her think about Finn. "Well, I liked this guy but I never got a chance to say that I loved him."

"So what did you do, Cedes?" Karen lowers her sunglasses down as she questioned Mercedes.

"I just left him a letter."

"Just a letter?" Karen stopped Mercedes and grabbed her shoulders. In Karen's thought, if this girl likes this guy, why would she leave her home? She should have told the guy how she felt about him, and if the guy liked her back he could have help her with her problems.

"Well yeah…I didn't know what else to do!" Mercedes exclaim as she abruptly threw her hands in the air. If she went and told Finn how she feels about him, what are the chances that he was going to like her? She thought zero. She thought that if she told Finn she loves him, he might have just laughed in her face and tells the whole school about it, she did not want that embarrassment.

"Mercedes you are a diva and you really need to act like one! You would have just told him how you love him and if he doesn't accept that, well just screw him ass!"

"Well, I left, so what's been done, has been done." Mercedes said as she and Karen stop in front yellow building, with colorful words on the top that said 'Boulevard Day Care Center".

"Just wait here, I can't wait to show you Bailey!" Karen ran off inside the day care center leaving Mercedes by her self, outside. She could not stop thinking about Finn, it bother her that she was not near him anymore. She started to realize that she was not going to see him anymore, or Kurt or Santana, well mostly importantly the glee club. They were her family from the start and besides leaving her mom, she left her dysfunctional family, back home where they would no longer have the diva anymore, they would just have one now- Rachel.

"Mercedes!" she quickly looked up at Karen holding, a small but very cuddled inside her arms, Bailey. Mercedes couldn't help taking her eyes off of her, she looked exactly like her mom- she had the same tan complexion, small pink lips, brown hair, however, there was one thing that Bailey had but Karen did not- when Bailey started to open her sleepy eyes, they were big and blue

"Bailey, sweetheart, meet mommy's new friend, Mercedes." Karen slowly rubbed her hand against Bailey soft skin, as she looked up at Mercedes.

"Merc!" Bailey said opening her arms open wide, for Mercedes to carry her.

"Oh, she wants you to carry her. Do you want to hold her?" Karen looked at her as Bailey started to wiggle out of Karen's arms and moved forward to Mercedes, as her arms were reaching towards her.

Mercedes nodded her head and smiled as Karen leaned in as Bailey's arms reach out to her. She was speechless, Bailey didn't throw up on her and it didn't look like she didn't like her, she felt happy. She has an _actual_ friend who actually has great wisdom and understands her, a perfect room that she feels is _much_ better than her own room, and a plus, she's living in California. There was just one problem that came to her, once she started to hold Bailey.

"Look, she likes you!" Karen happily clapped her hands and squeal as Mercedes was actually giggling as Bailey said her name, in the way she can pronounce it.

She wasn't sure how long all of this would last.

* * *

It's been a week since Mercedes has been gone and everyone was starting to get worried.

It all started as the days of the week went by and there was an empty seat in the chorus room. Mr. Schue told himself over and over again, that she was going to come back with her voice filling up in the air as she sang an R&B song, but no, she didn't come. His students seemed a bit worried as well, as she was hardly ever absent from school- most of them thought she would come after the third day, but no, they weren't clever enough to know that she was long gone to California. When Friday morning strike, they all knew something was definitely wrong- so, Mr. Schue decided to call Mercedes mom, but she didn't answer and she wouldn't if she was crying her eyes out for the return of her daughter. Some of the glee members didn't know what to do, they all tried calling Mercedes cell phone, and she didn't answer either. Most of them, didn't know what to do but try talking to her on Facebook, but she stayed offline, as she would be. But there was one certain glee club member who tried to take a risk.

Finn honestly didn't think she would be gone _that_ long, he thought she would come to school Monday morning with a small smile on her face and say hello to him as she walked pass him. Besides him thinking about Mercedes lately, he was caught between Quinn and Rachel, and also Quinn's obsession with prom. A week before Mercedes left, he decided to get with Quinn again, just to see if he was actually _still_ in love with her. So far, he didn't really enjoy being with her- all she talked about was prom this and prom that, it was getting extremely annoying and he didn't even wanted to go in the first place. And Rachel, it seemed like he wasn't really interested in her anymore…and even Quinn. Half of the time, he just seemed annoyed by both and the more he got annoyed the more he thought about Mercedes being his relief pill. So, he decided to go to her house and deliver her week's worth of homework that his teacher asked him to do, if he knew where she lived. He left right out of school, hoping that Quinn wouldn't see him and drive to Mercedes house.

He felt a bit excited and worried to see how Mercedes was doing, if she was sick or anything, which he hoped she wasn't. He drove across the park where he saw little kids sliding down the slides and swinging from the swings, he remember how he used to jump from the swings on to the ground where his mom would yelled at him, then checked if he had any scars. He chuckled at the thought of that, and then finally he parked in front of Mercedes house and quickly grabbed his book bag and got out of his car. He slowly walked up to her front door trying to feel serene as possible, but what if he saw Mercedes? He'll probably feel his heart burst a little bit, once she smiles at him. He stood there in her door step and quickly but not so hard, knocked on her door at least twice before Mercedes mom, Gabby Jones opened it, and it looked like she has been crying.

"Hi Ms. Jones." Finn placidity said as he waved hello to her. She stared at him and smiled as she sniffed and pulled on her robe tighter.

"Hi Finn. What do you need, sweetheart?" she asked as she leaned against the door.

"Oh, since Mercedes wasn't here for the pass week, I decided to give in her missing homework and maybe see her…by any chance?"

She cleared her throat and looked at the bushes behind him and was trying to keep in her tears so Finn wouldn't see what she was going through. "Finn…um, can you come inside please?

"Sure, Ms. Jones…" Ms. Jones moved out of the way and Finn slowly followed her to the kitchen, where he saw two envelopes sitting on the counter, one open and the other sealed.

"There is something I need to tell you about Mercedes, Finn." Ms. Jones sat down on a chairr and grabbed the envelopes off the counter and stared at Finn deeply in his eyes. There was silence between them as Finn became nervous of what she was going to say.

"W-what is it, ? Is it about Mercedes?" he asked nervously as he grabbed on tighter the handle of his bag.

"I know your friends and your teacher have been calling me about Mercedes, but I'm glad you came today because I wasn't sure how I was going to tell all of you that...that," Gabby Jones quickly started to rubbed her eyes as she was trying to speak. "That...she ran away!"

She started to burst in tears as Finn quickly dropped his bag on the floor and ran over to her, trying to hug her and quietly hushed her. Then when he started to realize what she was trying to talk, he couldn't help but feel small tears drop around his arms and he thought over and over again of what her mom said to him.


	6. Letters & Mistakes Learned

Finn held on to Gabby, while her tears left a wet stain on his right shoulder and her nails almost clench onto his back, as she held on to him more- he didn't mind since he was feeling the exact same way as she felt once she told him that Mercedes had run away. He didn't know what to think about this whole situation- he really didn't know how to handle it besides Mercedes mom grabbing a hold onto him, he didn't know that this dilemma was going to take control on his life. He could feel his face turning red as he started to look back onto memories that he had with Mercedes- he just couldn't believe this was happening to him, right now in this moment. Gabby slowly let go of Finn as she stared back at him, rubbing her eyes that were full of tears and turning back to the counter behind her and quickly took the two envelopes, that were just sitting there…waiting.

"S-she…left letters…I think you should read it, Finn." she pulled out the envelopes that were in her hands and pulled out her arm and gave it to Finn. He stared at her hands as they were soft and smooth, not like any other older women he had seen that their hands were old and wrinkly, ew.

He took the lefts off of her hand and decided to read the open one, he was guessing it was mainly for her mom but he wasn't sure of the other one. He quickly pulled out the white letter out of the envelope and opened up the paper.

**_Dear Mom,_**

**_If you had woken up by my presences not being around in the house anymore, I decided to run away. I'm sorry if this had made you upset but I couldn't stand being around everyone that would make me feel unwelcome around them. I don't mean to be a disturbance to anyone- I mean, me and Kurt hardly talk anymore since he got a new boyfriend and me and Santana…she's just so caught up in her own troubles, I know she doesn't need me to make it worse. I just feel…not me, when I'm at school or the glee club- which I thought would make some of my feeling betters since I sing- but it doesn't. And what's worse of everything here is that you and dad are divorcing and I'm in the middle of it. Being pulled side by side and not knowing who to turn to when I need goddamn help and you aren't there to help me anymore, Mom. Your not there anymore. Please, don't bother searching for me…I might return to Ohio some day, but maybe not until I sort out all my problems somewhere else. Tell dad that I love him and that I'm still his little girl, and tell the glee club that I love them all. _**

**_I'm so sorry Mom, I love you. _**

**_ From your loving daughter,_**

**_ Mercedes_**

He finishes staring at the letter as his eyes widen and his jaw slightly dropped, why did she have to do this? She could have said something to Kurt about him not paying attention to her most of the time since Blaine came along in his life or at least…she could have to him if she needed a helping hand with her problems- but he understand why could do that either, all because of his problem with Rachel and Quinn.

"Please read the other one, I think it for you…" Gabby pointed towards the other envelope underneath the letter he was reading. He was shock to know that Mercedes decided to write a letter to him. He pulled the envelope out and ripped on of the sides so he can easily pull the letter out, he then opened it.

**_Dear Finn,_**

**_I know it's probably not me to write a letter to you, but hear me out if my mom decides to give you this letter. For the past year, you been such a great friend to me and I just wanted to say thank you for being there and all those times you were being a great sport whenever you lost in Call Of Duty and I win. But …I know I feel something for you but I just can't put myself together to tell you. Its hard to even look at you at times because you are so caught up in problems that I thought it would be best just to stay away and let you be happy with someone else that's perfect and make you feel great about yourself…and I'm not that girl. I know you don't understand what I'm trying to say but I think you'll figure it out soon on your own once time passes by. But if your wondering why I left, I decided to leave for a reason and maybe a not so good one- I left because I felt unappreciated by everyone surrounding me, I just felt that I was in everyone's way and that they didn't need me anymore. I know they mean to do realize what they have been doing but it's not their faults, I guess it was mine. So, by any chance tell everyone not to bother looking for me because I'm not worth anyone's time and tell them that I miss them all. And Finn, to leave it all in a good note- I miss you and I always will. _**

**_ From,_**

**_ Mercedes_**

**_P.S: Finn, try to learn from your mistakes._**

He ruffled his hair back and closed the paper into halves like it was and put it inside the envelope. He couldn't believe it, but he understood what she was trying to say to him and he knew it so perfectly that he could finally realize that he felt the same way about her too. He looked back at Gabby and slowly put the two letters on top of the kitchen counter and looked at her.

"I don't know what to say Ms. Jones…I'm in shock."

Gabby looked at him as she heart felt fractured since her daughter ran away, she decided to step closer to the boy and understand his sympathy. "I was sadder than shock honestly. It was just out of nowhere that she decided to do this stunt of hers, I don't understand."

"Ms. Jones, I just think Mercedes needed someone to be by her side and stick with her and I think that person could have been me," Finn stopped talking and suddenly felt guilt for not being there for Mercedes when she needed someone, like him. "I wish…I could have done something."

Gabby put her hand on his shoulder. "It's not your fault sweetheart, its no bodies, I think she just needed to get away…from here." she took her hand off of his shoulder and crossed her arms.

"Yeah, maybe so, Ms. Jones." Finn's eyes swift across the room before laying his eyes on the stairs, which led up to the second floor, onto Mercedes room. Maybe, if he got permission from Mercedes mom to look around her room, maybe then just maybe…she probably left something indicating where she was going. "Ms. Jones, is it okay if I look around Mercedes room, you know just to remember what it looks like?"

"Oh, sure, just go right ahead. I had to go in there at least a few times just to remember all the memories I had when I used to read her bed time stories."

Finn chuckled quietly before he walked towards the stairs and walked up to the second floor, where he quickly pointed out Mercedes room, since it's the one with small stars around the edges. He slowly walked towards it, making sure that the floor didn't creek. He stood in front of her door; his hand struggled to touch the doorknob as he felt hesitant about doing this. He wanted to open the door to Mercedes just laying on her bed like she usually does and talking with Kurt on her side about clothing and handbags, but he knew he would just see an empty room with everything except her. He twisted the knob and pushes the door forward and walked inside. The room was lighten by small and tiny little blue and purple bulbs that look like hedges on the top part of walls just underneath the ceiling, the walls were painted lavender and white and her bed was simply white with purple pillows just the way she likes it. She had a big mirror filled with many pictures on the side and a cabinet near her bed where on it had some lettering written in script, it was probably one of her quotes that she would make up and write them down on the cabinet so that it. He walked over to the big mirror and smiled as he looked at many pictures of Mercedes and some of family members and then some with Kurt and Rachel, then some with the glee club, but there was one that made him pulled out one of the pictures out of the mirror.

It was a strip picture of him and Mercedes and Kurt when he was forced to drive them to the mall last year and basically dragged him to whatever store they wanted to go because Kurt was blackmailing him about lying to his mom about going to sleepover at Puck's house over the weekend, when really he was invited to go to some college party. He thought that with all the nagging and holding their bags would be horrible, but really he thought that day was really fun and he saw another side of Mercedes that he thought he would never see, before she started coming over to his and Kurt's house to sleepover and play Call Of Duty.

She was acting like her casual self when she was around him- she was playful, funny and she liked everything that he liked, which they thought it was weird at first because they would never thought they would have the same interests. Throughout the day, the three of them enjoy everything and when it came to leave, Kurt and Mercedes thought it would be best to take a picture- all three of them together.

* * *

_"C'mon Finn, it will be fun!" Mercedes exclaim as she sat next to Kurt inside the picture booth in the mall and Finn watching them as he held their bags. _

_"Oh no. I think it should be you two, since your all best friends and stuff…" _

_"We can use another-"_

_"Mercedes, the machine is ready to take the picture in a few second! Let's take our poses!" Kurt quickly interrupted the two as he held close to his friend. _

_"I'm just going to sit down." Finn said as he was ready to walked away until he felt someone put force on his shoulder and pulled him inside the booth. Once he was inside he stared at Mercedes as she quickly smiled at him then back the camera. _

_"Say Cheese!" the machine said as the three felt a sudden light hit their eyes a couple of times as they did different poses, in weird and backwards ways. _

_Once the machine stopped, they all stepped out of the booth and walked over to the side to see their pictures. Kurt grabbed the pictures and handed one to Mercedes and one to Finn and they all laughed at the results. The first box of the picture was them just smiling at the camera, then the second one was them acting sexy. Then the third one was them doing weird faces at the camera and finally the last one was Mercedes putting up the bunny ears behind Finn head as he stick his tongue out and Kurt doing a fierce look on his face._

_"Oh my god, look at Kurt's face!" Mercedes laughed as she pointed out Kurt's face when he was trying to act sexy- which was a difficult process for him because from all the poses they took, his face was priceless. _

_"Hey…It's not that bad." Kurt said. _

_"Well," Finn scanned through the photo until he pointed one with him and Mercedes doing awkward faces. "At least you don't look like me and Mercedes here. We look so funny!" _

_They all agreed and laughed all the way to Finn's car and drove the two best friends back to his and Kurt's house, where Kurt and Mercedes tried on all their clothes at the mall and Mercedes looking at the picture over of all three of them._

* * *

She sat down on her bed as his hand moved slowly over her soft blankets, he sighed as he smell the sweet lavender aroma sweeping across her room as it made his nose tickled. He quickly got off her bed as he remembers to look around the room to see if there was anything indicating where she was going. He look over some cabinets of hers, that he knew didn't have any lingerie of hers- which he didn't want to check for his safety. He looked and looked but he couldn't just find anything to give him a clue to where Mercedes could have gone- that is until he decided to think any memories of him and Mercedes talking any place they would like to go.

* * *

_"Oh my god, Finn….that's hilarious!" Mercedes giggled as she was sitting next Finn in the living room floor as he was lying next to her and Kurt was busy taking his nap upstairs in his room. _

_"Well, I was only two when I ran around naked in the park!" he sat up and leaned against the couch behind him. "So, tell me a secret of yours, Cedes?"_

_"Okay, it's not really a secret…"_

_"So tell me." Finn said anxiously _

_"Well, I always wanted to go to…California." she said as she looked at the wall, as she thought about the sun lighting beaming at her and her fame rising._

_"Why, you wanna be a diva?" Finn said grinning._

_"Yes! It's always been a dream of mine to one since I was little."_

_"Wait, you even didn't want to be a star?" he questioned her as he became interested in what she had to say. _

_"Hell no! I wanted to be a diva, like Beyonce." she said as she got up from the floor and brushed her self off. _

_"Well, I think you'll make someday, Cedes." Finn said as he got off the floor as well and he stood right in front of her, smiling as his dimples showed. She obviously felt like she was going to melt like every time he smiled, so she smiled back at him. But her smiled made Finn happy- Mercedes smile was like whiten sparky pearls in her mouth, as they light up the room even though it sounded a bit corny to Finn but it was the best way to express it. _

_"You really think so, Finn?" she asked._

_"Of course, and I'll be your biggest fan and when I say that...I mean it." he could see the happiness in her eyes once he said that too her. He was pretty sure that knew she left home very happy and probably fell asleep with a smile on her face.  
_

* * *

"California!" he yelled out as he felt a light bulb lighten on top of his head just like those cartoon character when ever they have a great idea. He started to look around her room again but this time he kept on saying "California" for about at least 5 times before he found nothing to know if she was actually going to California.

What was he supposed to do now? The girl that he has feelings for just ran away to what he thinks is to California. He had a strange feeling in his stomach- it wasn't like butterflies were in there but more like bees buzzing around and stinging him as he felt pain, he already could feel the affect her disappearance going on to him. He wanted to just stop time and rewind it to where she was ready to leave and tell her to not do, that he was here to help her and tell her what he feels about her. Now he felt the guilt again and this time it bothered him a lot more than the first time. He had to get out. He ran out of her room and onto downstairs to the front door where he greeted Ms. Jones.

"Oh Finn, did you get a chance to look at her room?"

"Oh, yes…yes," he said as his hand went to the doorknob. "But, I have to go…m-my mom called me for Dinner. So, it was nice seeing you Ms. Jones and I'm sorry for what happen to Mercedes. I hope she comes back."

Gabby sighed and sadly smiled at him. "Me too, and goodbye Finn."

He twisted the knob and quickly walked over to his car, where he went inside and turned on the engine and stepped on it. While he drove, he was thinking what he needed to do in order to get Mercedes back home and tell her that he loves her. He needed to do something that would make this situation better. But what was he suppose to do? All he knew was that wasn't just going to just sit around and do nothing, but he was going to do something- that was going to beyond him and maybe others in any other way...He was going to find her.

But in order to do that, he needed to learn his mistakes.

* * *

He couldn't sleep last night, as he twist and turned around in his bed- he was thinking about her and what if she got hurt or something. No. He didn't even wanted to even think about her getting hurt, or if someone laid their hands on her face and just pulling it close to their ready to kiss her with poison. He didn't want to think about what she was going if the situation turned out to be bad, all he wanted to think about was if she was okay and if she was safe. When he got up this morning, he needed to do the first steps of what he had planned to do in order to learn what he has done- Break up with Quinn. It was going to be a simple thing, as he felt it was going to be since he finally figure out all she wanted was to be prom queen. He especially didn't her bullshit every time she asked him to do something that he didn't wanted to do, but now he was ready to just get through so he can be a step closer to leave Lima and be with Mercedes. The second thing he had planned to do was tell Rachel that he doesn't love anymore- he figured out that he didn't need her anymore to make him feel better and he figured out that she doesn't need him if she wanted to achieve her dream of becoming a Broadway star and he didn't want to be in a way.

He stood in front of her locker as the hallway cleared out and he was suppose to go glee club, he saw her blond hair curls bounced off her shoulders and her dress moved along with her legs as she walked closer to him with a small smile. She finally stood in front of him, just below a few feet where he stood.

"What are you doing here, Finn?" she asked as she opened her locker and pulled out a small note out of her sweater pocket. "I got your note, what did you needed to talk to me about?"

"Quinn," he said as she kept him hands in his jean pockets. "I'm breaking up with you."

"E-excuse me, what?" her eyes narrowed at him as she soon as heard the words 'Break up'. "But your suppose to be with me, not Rachel!"

"I'm not going back to Rachel, either."

"What! So why are you breaking up with me?" he could hear her echoes in the hallway as she yelled a bit louder.

"You only wanted me to be prom queen and I figured out that I'm not in love with you, I'm sorry." he slowly walked from her as he grabbed his book bag off the floor and ignore all her comments.

"You can't break up with me!" she blurted out at him.

He made a right turn as he heard small singing inside the choir room, he knew that glee club had started and he needed to tell Rachel what he needed to tell her and he'll be off his way. But what Finn didn't realize that there was a certain someone hearing the conversation he was having with Quinn, but from the look on her face, Santana was pretty happy but now concern if she thinks that Blond bitch in gonna get with her Sam. Over the few weeks of them dating, the two actually were good for each other, even though people were seeing at first but now the results were showing because Sam made Santana happy in the best way that he can because he _actually_ likes her. And Santana even though didn't want to admit it but, he was happy as well- since the whole incident with Brittany, which she finally come to terms with her as Santana realized that she's into guys again, aka Sam.

"He finally broke up with her and won't get back with Rachel, I wonder why?" she stand behind the wall as she saw Quinn wipe her tears away and walked inside the choir room, after a few second she walked to the choir room as well. As soon as she walked in, she saw Finn and Quinn were not sitting next to each other and he wasn't sitting next Rachel either but Quinn miraculously decided to sit next Sam. Santana walked over and sat next to him and held his hand on hers as she smile to her and she watch Quinn glare at her as she simply look back at Mr. Schuster and smile.

"Okay guys, I decided to bring back a certain someone that may be a surprise to all of you..." Mr. Schue trailed off as he continued about that certain someone who was coming tomorrow, which honestly some of the members didn't even care.

Right after class Finn pulled Rachel into a corner and she quickly smile at him as he look like he was ready to ask her back out again, since she heard that he broke up with Quinn from Tina, who talked to Quinn after she finished crying. "Rachel, we need to talk."

"Oh, well what would you like to talk about Finn?" she asked. "Are you going to ask me something? Just out of curiously..."

"You heard that I broke up with Quinn didn't you?"

"Yes, I did." she said sweetly as she finally wanted to hear the exact words that she wanted to hear from Finn. "I'm glad you did, Finn. Now, you have other things to do now..."

"Like what, being with you?" he scoffed as he playfully rolled his eyes. Even though he didn't want to hurt Rachel that was a funny thing to say knowing that it wasn't going to happen.

"Yes, Finn. I love you and I need you in my life, so take me back."

'Rachel," he took her hand rub his thumb over her skin. "I'm not in love with you anymore. I think it's best for us if you work on your future, because you don't need me anymore and I don't need you. I'm sorry, but I fallen in love with someone else and I know she feels they same way as I do."

"What the hell!" she yelled at him. "I thought you were going to take me back! And who is this girl that you _supposedly_ Love?"

He chucked at her as he began to walk away once the bell to go home ring. "I can't tell you all I can say it, I finally learn my mistakes." He walked away from her and disappear to the right until the hallways became clear in the matter of a few minutes. He began to walk down stairs to the first floor to leave he heard a voice, very familiar to him.

"Finn!" he turned around to see Santana losing her breath running towards him as her hair bounced back to the wind and finally she slowed down to him.

"What's wrong Santana?"

"When you see Mercedes, tell her I said I miss her." she said

Finn looked at her speechless, not knowing what to say to her know that she knows what he was doing but how the hell did she find out. "W-who did you find-"

"I saw you coming out of Mercedes house when I was walking home from Brittany's house and I saw the break up between you and Quinn, then I saw the whole conversation between you and Rachel and I took a guess that maybe you love Mercedes."

'But how did you know that I was going to look for her?" he asked her.

"Out of all people, I know you'll be the one to look for her and since I saw you looking over Mercedes seat a couple of time in glee club, I took a guess at it too."

His eyebrows arched to hairline as he stepped one-step closer to her. "Will you tell anyone?"

"Nope and anyone finally realizes that your gone, I'll stay shut for the two of you." she smiled at him as Finn finally saw a smile come out of her for the longest the whole Brittany thing way back a few weeks ago. "Just make you find her Frankteen and make sure you give her the message, alright?"

"Of course San and I'll try to call you if anything happens."

"Okay, bye Finn." she stand there in the middle of hallways waving at him as she saw him walking towards the doors to the outside. Finn opened the doors causing the wind getting inside the building making her shiver.

He turned back to her and smiled. "Bye, San."

* * *

**A/N: **_I'm sorry for the late update but I had so many school related things to do and plus I'm not comfortable when I write when my sister is around me, so I couldn't write at that moment. Yes, I decided to do a little Fantana moment between them since I like so much. I'm sorry if there are any mistakes in here since this chapter was locked up in my computer for awhile and I update it fully today so, Read & Review!_


	7. New Beginnings

**A/N: **I'm so sorry for not updating for such a long time! I had many school-related things to do and I didn't have time to finish up this chapter I had saved up in my computer until today. I would also like to say I have good news. I decided to write another Fiercedes story but this time it will include Merevans, some Finchel and this all will take place in Nationals. Hopefully you guys will like this chapter because like I always say, it's not one of my best but leave a review about it **:)**

* * *

"Oh, Mercedes you're going to love Jared! He's a very good friend of mine ever since I moved over here when I was pregnant with Bailey..." Karen blabbered on while she was taking Mercedes to a friend of hers that had a job offering for waitress in his Bar. After two days, everything has been perfect and Mercedes like the sound of that- she was happy, excited and most of all she felt good about how all of this had planned out, better than she thought it would.

"He's sounds cool, maybe I'll take a like in him too." she replied to her as she stared down to at her own feet. She was nervous, extremely nervous…she was actually getting a job, since she screwed up over the last one when she used to work as a waitress in a restaurant, when she was in the 10th grade and by mistake, she dropped a whole plate of food onto the mangers clothes, which made him fuming with fire and fired her. However, as she tried to apologize to him, he would not take and kicked her out. Now, what if she made the same mistakes as she did before? Oh, wait…but now she remember that it was something like a bar- small and had musicians go by and perform.

"He is cool, I guess you can say but he's really awesome and you should also meet another friend of mine, Amy. She works with people who want to adopt children and people who want to give away their children."

"Oh, so she goes to the bar too?" Mercedes asked.

"Oh yeah, we all meet up sometimes and have a couple of drinks…well not me, since I don't planned to drink alcohol, ever for the safety of my child." she looked at Mercedes and nodded her head. Karen was not 21 yet but even if she was, she was not going to lay a hand on alcohol since….that incident she had that caused her to have Bailey, but she was not ready to tell that to Mercedes, yet.

"That's really good; I think that would set a good example for Bailey when she grows up." Mercedes smiled at her as they continued to walk.

"You think so? I mean, I'm trying to be the best mother I can to her…she's my world." Karen put her hands her pocket as she began to look down. She didn't want to be a bad role model to Bailey when she gets older; she wanted Bailey to know what was right and wrong. She wanted Bailey to know that she will always be there when she needs her and that she didn't have to be afraid to tell her anything because as a mother, she would understand.

"That's really nice. I honestly don't know what I would do if I had a baby at your age…"

"Well, for one I just decided to go somewhere where there wouldn't be hardly any violence around and two, I didn't want to give her away to someone else while I would still feel some regrets." Karen seriously said it like she mean it, and she did.

Mercedes understood that Karen took the topic seriously so she decided not to comment on it and try to switch to another topic. "So…where is this place?"

Karen stopped Mercedes from walking and looking straight up at an old vintage building with a huge sign from above that said "The Dive" in script. "Were already here." Karen said as she quickly went inside the building, Mercedes followed her.

Once she went inside there was already a flash of a blue light bulb brightening up when they were going upstairs to a red door, although it didn't really look like the color back because of the blue light. Once they arrived to the front of the door, Mercedes started having her little thoughts of what lies behind this door. No, she didn't even want to go ahead of herself since she wanted to be surprise of what this place looks like. Karen knocked on the door soft before someone opened it halfway while the little chain was hanging out when you lock the door, the only thing Mercedes could see from the strangers face was his clear blue eyes starting straight at them. The stranger looked at Karen and quickly opened the door, revealing a tall, dark hair, handsome, somewhat a bit muscular, man looking around his late 20's.

The man and Karen hugged each other. "Karen I'm so glad you came. Is this the girl you were talking about over the phone?"

Karen moved out of the way to reveal Mercedes who was just standing there, forcing her self a smiled as she tried to be calm. "Oh Jared, this is the one and only Mercedes, she just got to _Cali_ yesterday."

Jared quickly smiled at Mercedes and let out his hand for her to shake it. "Oh it's nice to meet someone new here everyday! So how you like California?"

"Oh, well so far I really like here than back home." she replied coolly as she kept on smiling at him and Karen.

"I guess that's good!" Jared said as he put his hands together, showing off his muscles on his arm and some tattoos. "So Mercedes, do you have any experience as a waiter?"

"Um…." she started to have the flashbacks when her boss was yelling at her for spilling food all over his, what a horrible experience. "I work in a restaurant for…2 weeks." she cleared her throat and looked at the ground.

"Well…that's okay, I guess. We all have little troubles- I mean look at me, I sometimes can't even handle this place sometimes!" she began to giggled a little bit as she finally gain the confidence to actually look up at him, directly in his eyes and talk without being so shy. Jared then walked over, pulled out a chair, sat down, and pulled out the other one next to him. "So Miss Mercedes, why don't you come over here and let me interview you- see if you get the job."

He patted the chair right next to him and smiled. She quickly walked over to the chair and sat down along with him as he took out a paper, with questions in it and a pen. She looked back Karen- who was leaning against the bar watching them, and then looking back at her watch. "Oh hey, I'll be back in an hour, I have to watch the front desk of the hotel." and she quickly ran waving at both of them.

"She's so committed of what she does…s-she's amazing." Jared sighed as he watched her walk away, Mercedes smirk, he sounded like an idiot in love, though she shouldn't be calling him an idiot since this is her first time meeting him. She didn't want to ask him if he liked Karen but she knew the question was going to come out one day, but not now. She made herself more comfortable on the chair as she wait for what Jared was going to ask her. She was still nervous but only just a little bit, since her nerves are almost gone.

"So, first question…" he crossed his legs so man-like, as he leaned back against his chair. "Are you still in school and if so, what grade are you in?" his eyes looked up from looking down at the paper and stared into hers. Damn it, she knew he was going to ask her that question, she really didn't how to response but be truthfully honest.

"Yes, but not in this state, please let me explain-"

He waved his hands, shook his head, and sat on the edge of his seat. "No, no…don't explain. I understand you ran away from home."

"H-how did you…" she stuttered her words out and Jared grabbed her hand, soothing over it with his finger.

"Karen told me over the phone. You know Mercedes I don't want to sound rude but, its not good to runaway from home but even if you did have problems there is no reason for you to just leave." he said sternly like a parent telling their child no after they haven done something bad. "Do you think maybe you left your mom, dad and your friends heartbroken, _especially_ on your mom? I know I sound like a parent to you but I'm just saying for your own good."

She felt the guilt again but a new feeling came, it was shame. Her stomach started to turn into knots, but pulling out harder when you pull the last sting from the knot you are trying to tie. She felt so horrible, worse than last time knowing that she left everything she loves behind her. She understands what Jared was trying to say to her, with no hard feelings even though those feeling were hard.

She let her hand off of Jared's and got up from her seat. "I know but, that was the past and this now. I am trying to forget everything that is happen this week- I finally met someone who gets me, I found a place to live on the first day and I got here thanks to Karen. I know one day I will go back home, but not now…not now." Jared stared at her and got up from his seat.

"Okay," he stood in front of her and put his hands on his hips. "Since you said you are going to go home, _soon_…I'll give you the job." he said.

"Really?" she said in disbelief. "You're going to hire because of my little speech about me stay here and maybe going home?"

"And the fact that Karen practically begged to hire you, so I have to unless she's going to ripped my head off." he walked away from her and went behind the bar and grabbed an apron, then threw it over to Mercedes.

She started to feel excited in the inside- now she has a job and she never thought running away to California would be so easy. But she still felt her stomach untying themselves, as she finally felt calm after the whole speech with Jared. "So when do I start?"

"Tonight at 8 and be ready, usually this club is so crowded since people perform here." he smiled and look away from her as he was recycling old glass bottles and putting in new ones filled with alcohol. Mercedes looked at the clock right above him- it was only three in the afternoon. "So come later, I have to finish setting up the bar."

"Well okay, I'll see you later Jared and thank you for hiring me! Bye!" she yelled out as she began to walk out of the club and go downstairs to the outside. Once she went out, she suddenly felt a hot beam of sun hit her eyes and she quickly shut her eyes then opened them again. She looked around her surrounding and forgot that Karen had to watch the front desk of the motel. She started to walk straight ahead as she remember where the motel was, then turned to a left and just kept on moving straight ahead.

Ever since she woke up this morning she could not stop thinking about life in California- everything she saw, spoke something. But the down side of it was, you couldn't imagine of how many dreams of being someone have been broken, she couldn't imagine the tears and suffering people have gone through to get where they always wanted to be but then realizing that maybe they can't be a big shot like other celebrities can. It bothered her that not only she came her to get away from Ohio, but maybe become something that she always wanted to be or _always_ wanted- Fame. She didn't even want to sound a bit conceited, but she knew she had a good voice and back home no one couldn't deny it Though, she didn't feel like the only one here who has dreams, while many here have them as well. She wanted herself to stand out better than anyone else but she couldn't help feel selfish for herself, she seen those TV shows where constants have to sing their hearts out then realizing their voice isn't good enough, she felt bad for those who had potential and who really wanted to do this. She didn't want to feel rejected if she wanted to try out for those types of TV shows; she just wanted to be accepted, just like she was accepted into the glee club.

* * *

_Dear Mom, _  
_I decided to leave everything I had behind..._

"No, no...I can't start off like that!" Finn erased the letter he was trying to his mom again, as he was trying to tell her that her son was running away in search of the girl that he loves. Finn of course didn't know writing a letter was really hard, he didn't know how Mercedes did with such perfection and made the letter really long while he couldn't even last writing at least two paragraphs, maybe three or four if he had to do an essay.

He was along in his wrote sitting at his computer desk as he looking up Hotels or Motels around in California, he started to write down severed of them on a piece of paper, besides the one he was writing his essay on. Almost every 20 minutes he would peep outside to the hallway and made sure no one was awake since it was around one in the morning on a Friday night, he knew all the basics though if one of his family members wakes up. If Burt was awake, he was probably coming back from work and if he woke up from sleep then he would just go to the bathroom. If his mom was awake then she would just head downstairs to the kitchen and get herself a drink of water and would just head upstairs and go back to sleep. However, if Kurt were awake he would silently check Finn's room sometimes and just grabbed the finish cup of Milk he made him and head downstairs just to clean it then go back to his room and sleep.

He stop searching on the internet for Hotel and Motel in California and put his concern on the essay, he ruffled his hair and looked down at his outfit he was wearing- his casual gray hoodie and pair of jeans and his black converse. He was anxious to leave already- his was ready to take his car and drive to California and find Mercedes and...just hug her tight and tell her everything would be okay. He wanted to help her and make sure she wasn't hurt or anything, but he knew the risk he was taking- he knew it was going to take him awhile to find her since California was a big place but he also knew that Mercedes would probably stay at Motel near an attraction where people would usually go. He then began to write his letter again to not to his mom but to Burt and Kurt, on a brand new piece of paper. He wrote, wrote, and started to feel good about the letter- it was good for his standards and it had a nice beginning to it. He shut off his lap and put it inside his book bag and pulled out his gym bag out from bed and put it over his shoulder, it was full of most of his clothes, then pulled out a rather larger bag filled of more of clothes but he wasn't taking them to his trip, he was giving them away.

He shut off the lights from his room and left the letter for his family on top of his bed and head to the hallway. He tip-toed quietly all the way to the downstairs and made sure that if one of the boards of the wooden floor creek he would look back and hoped that nobody woke up. When he finally walked to his garage, he opens the door to his car, threw in his bags, and sat inside the car where he turned on the engine. He was glad that this garage was sound proof and didn't wake anyone up when he drove back, away from the house and on to the outside. He on the gas and drove the car onto the street and once he did that. He looked over at his house and sighed but then drives away. He passed through some houses and some parks before he stopped at the nearest motel and park on its parking lot. He got out of his car and grabbed the large bag filled with his clothes and walked over to the motel and passed through many of its door until he stopped at number seven- he knocked on the door twice before Sam opened the door.

"Finn, it's one in the morning what are you doing here?" Sam asked groggy as he was opening his eyes. He looked back at his siblings, who were sleeping while the TV was showing cartoon characters running around on the screen.  
"Here," Finn handed him the bag full of his clothes, Sam looked at the bag and then back up at Finn. "It's some of my clothes, I though it would be nice to give something away and say goodbye to a friend." he smiled.

"Thanks but what are you trying to tell me, Finn..."

"Dude, I running away okay and don't tell anyone because I'm leaving for a reason." Sam nodded his head but he was still a bit confused of the whole situation.

"So that's why Quinn was all over me today. You know Santana looked like she was going to murder Quinn but I assured that nothing was going on," he chuckled slightly as he turned his back and made sure that his brother and sister were sleeping. "But why are you running away?"

"I'm going to try to find Mercedes, I know where she is." Sam's eyebrow reached to his hairline, he never thought he would hear something like that come out of Finn's mouth before.  
"Do you...you know-" Sam shrugged his shoulders and softly punch Finn's arms.

"-Like her? Yeah but I don't just like her man, I-I love her." Finn smiled so hard that Sam couldn't even believe it what was happening- First Santana and him are literally official boyfriend and girlfriend, she likes him and he likes her. Second, Quinn is all around like a puppy dog and Santana is not too happy about it. Third, Finn loves Mercedes and he's in shock!

"Dude..." Sam patted his shoulder and just kept on smiling, He was extremely happy for Finn.

"Yep, but please I'm begging you not to tell anyone about this and if they ask you question say you never saw me except Santana." Finn said.

"Wait why?" Sam asked suspiciously. He was hoping there was nothing going on with them since Finn said he loves Mercedes and Santana is with Sam.

"She already knows," Finn said stepping away from Sam. "She been knowing what was going on."

"So you want us to stay shut about this whole situation?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, about everything." Finn looked around and looked back at his car. "I guess it's time for me to leave, man."

"Well, alright." they gave each other a small handshake and Finn back away from Sam. "Bye, good luck on finding her dude!"

"Yeah thanks!" Finn yelled back but not too loud to wake up the other residents. He started to look back at Sam until he realized he already closed the door, Finn walked up to his car, got inside and turned on the engine. He began to drive out the Motel's parking lot and onto the street where once he was driving started to see the highway, he stopped at a stop sign and looked down at his GPS system he brought yesterday for the adventure, he began pressing down the letters C-A-L-I-F-O-R-N-I-A, until the GPS system said to go forward into the highway. He took a deep breath and moved forward to where a new beginning will begin.


	8. To Sir, With Love

**A/N: **Hey guys, sorry I haven't updated in such a long time hopefully this chapter will make it up even though like I always say its not that good. Take note that for starters I let you in on a little spoiler this is NOT the chapter that Finn and Mercedes are going to see each other again! It's almost there I promise to you readers, so get your high hopes ready :)

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"So he came over to your house and gave you clothes then just leaves?" Santana asked Sam as she was standing by his locker while they were in school, the day after Finn appeared at Sam's door step. After Finn left, Sam decided to call Santana and tell her what happened but didn't tell her most of the details since his parent's were coming home.

"Yeah, he also told me that he was running away to find Mercedes because he-"

"-Loves her. Yeah, I know, I saw him before you did earlier yesterday." she said as she leaned against the wall full of lockers the color red to represent McKinley High School. Sam took out his History book out from his locker and closed it turning his head towards Santana.

"I know, he told the only person I can tell about this was you, San," he slowly wrapped his arm around Santana and held her close to his hip and began to walk down the hallway. "But what are we going to do, Prom was moved towards next week, Nationals is in 3 weeks, Mr. Schue wants to bring a surprising guest here today and once people find out that Finn disappeared all hell will _literally _run loose!"

Santana quickly pulled Sam's arm off of her and put her hands on top of his chest making him to stop. "Stop worrying, we just can't say a peep about what's going on with Finn and Mercedes because deep down inside we know they'll come back to Lima in weeks, months or even years but they will come back and Finn will find her."

Sam rolled his eyes and scoffed in disbelief. "Finn's not the easiest person to figure out at times and plus he gets confused a lot in class, what makes you think he could find her?"

"Are you trying to say that he can't find her?"

Sam waved his hands at her indicating that he knew it was best to not mess with Santana, especially if her expectations were high. "No, no! I'm not trying to say that! I mean there are a lot of chances that maybe he will find her…but do you think he will?"

"I know he will," she said as they stopped in front of the choir room. "Because he doesn't, I'm going to kill him if he comes back without her." she smiled and went inside first where she met Brittany sitting down, Sam stood there and prayed to himself that Finn will find Mercedes. Sam followed Santana down next to an empty seat next to hers and watched Mr. Schue walk into the room with a very worried look on his face.

"Um, hey guys…" he said pulling a chair into the center and sitting down, ruffling his hair back and folded his hands together. "I have some….bad news to tell you."

The students all looked at each other very concerned and confused of what was happening. They were short of one member and most of them pretty much thought Finn was absent, except for Sam and Santana who knew very well of what Mr. Schue was going to say.

"Finn ran away." was all Mr. Schue said before Rachel began to walk out of the classroom crying, everyone else was literally in shock well, Santana and Sam had to pretend they were shock just in case no one would suspect they knew anything about Finn and Mercedes' disappearance.

"What! Why in the world would he do that, he knows were only 3 weeks away from Nationals!" Quinn yelled out from her seat. She finally realizes why he broke up with her, he planning this all along, she thought. He broke up with her for a reason, to run away…but why would he want to run away from everyone. She didn't think this had any connections to Mercedes because she knows he wouldn't run away to her. But then again she started to stick to a new conclusion about all of this….was he and Mercedes trying to pull off a new trend?

"How did you find out Mr. Schue?" Mike asked. Even as the quiet guy, Mike cared about everybody in the club even his fellow teammates on the football team. Though, they aren't smart in class and still try to be one of the school's badass, he literally can say that he loves them all. When he found out that Mercedes ran away he decided to wear her favorites colors on the following days she hasn't come back to school, just to show that he still appreciates her and hell he even convince Tina to do it all well, then she convince Kurt to do it too.

"Well Finn's mom called me in this morning saying she got letter him explaining that he decided to run away," Mr. Schue said, but also forgot to mention the conversation was cut off short by Carole sobbing over the phone, he barely understood what she trying to tell him. "and she said that Kurt won't be coming to school today."

"I feel so bad for Kurt; I can imagine what he's feeling." Tina slowly shook her head and leaned against Mike's shoulder, who put his arm around her.

Puck looked around and got up from his seat. This was really bad, as he was thinking about it for the last 3 minutes since Mr. Schue said that Finn ran away- the football team have no quarterback, the Glee club have no lead male and plus, Mercedes ran away too so the group didn't have the powerhouse to bring down the Nationals. "Did Finn say where he was going?"

"Nope, he didn't include that in the letter." Mr. Schue looked away from Puck rolled his chair over to his desk and suddenly began to have a time out from everything- Holly leaving him, Emma and her OCD, Nationals in 3 weeks, Mercedes and Finn running away…this whole thing is becoming chaotic for him, even as a teacher how was he suppose to deal with it? "Guys just talk in the mean time, I need some time to think of what were going to do for Nationals."

"No need to worry Mr. Schue, I'm here to help." he heard a voice from the doorway and looked up to see a young man wearing a leather jacket and holding on to Rachel, who was wiping away her tears, it was Jesse St. James. Even though Jesse was an enemy to New Directions he actually took the courage to call up Mr. Schue and apologized to him for everything, Mr. Schue accepted his apologize and asked him if he could come over and help them, which he gladly accepted and here he is holding on to Rachel- which he talked her out of crying and brought her back to the choir room.

"What the fuck?" Puck said walking away from his seat and walking towards Jesse, but suddenly was stopped by Artie who wheeled in front of him. "Mr. Schue, why is St. Douche here?"

"Puck, language. Um, I forgot to tell you guys Jesse is coming here to help us with Nationals," Mr. Schue said after he began to muttered something about he needs to remember things. "He said he was willing to help us out."

"Yes and once I heard about Finn and Mercedes, I decided to step in to help you guys with Nationals," Jesse said walking inside the room still holding onto Rachel and walked over to two empty seats and sat down with her. "and I came back to say an apology to everyone here and maybe get full forgiveness about what I have done to you guys."

'Well start talking St. Douche." Brittany said giving her full angry look whenever she was mad at someone or at times her cat. Santana and Sam looked at each other, they did not except this to happen they both turned back to Jesse.

"Well, I wanted to say I'm sorry to everyone here especially you Rachel," Rachel looked at him and all eyes were towards them. "I'm sorry for what I done to you, I'm sorry I lied about everything…its just that I had to follow Shelby's rules and I couldn't disobey them in any way no matter how hard I wanted to so badly," he stopped at his sentence and looked down. "I'm so sorry to everyone and if you don't want to forgive me its okay."

Rachel stood up from her seat and gave a small warming smile to him. "I forgive you Jesse, just don't turn your back on us again but your forgiveness is it not yet complete if the Glee club doesn't agree."

"I think we can all forgive you Jesse," Mr. Schue said getting up from his seat. "Right guys?"

"Ehhhh…" most of the Glee clubbers muttered trying to get over the fact that their worst enemy is basically begging for forgiveness and trying to be on their side. Santana on the other hand, still wasn't convince by this 'Jesse St. Sorry' act, she was going to say something about how big of an ass he was but she stopped by Sam, who told her to calm like he casual does when she gets her 'moments', but it always helps Santana give her reasons why she likes him so much.

"When then I guess it's settled then, Jesse's going to help us with Nationals!" Mr. Schue said clapping his hands together. Rachel quickly hugged Jesse and everyone else was trying to cope what was happening at this moment. As Jesse got up from his chair and began to discuss about Nationals and how should just get pass the fact that Finn and Mercedes ran away, but Santana couldn't help but feel a bit weird about Jesse's comeback. Now, she would normally see him eying Rachel and always keep his focus on her whenever she and Sam saw them together in school or in the Lima Bean but now half of the time Rachel was talking, he just turned on focus on someone else…on Santana.

* * *

"Excuse me, have you seen this girl before?" Finn asked an older man who was standing behind a desk in a Holiday Inn hotel, somewhere in Nebraska. He still wasn't in California yet but he was so anxious to just keep driving over there because he was so certain that she was there already, but at the same time he needed to search some of the countries he was passing through, so far he's gone through Indiana, Illinois, Iowa and now he was ready to leave Nebraska but he just needed to check into this hotel just see if Mercedes stayed here.

The older man looked closely at a picture of Mercedes Finn took from her room, the strip one with him, Kurt and Mercedes took together at the mall. "No, I don't think so, Sorry." the older man looked away from Finn and looked down at a magazine.

"Well, thanks anyways." Finn sadly smile at him and walked away from the hotel and onto his car. It's only been a few hours since he left Ohio, but he knew it was the best. He ruffled his hair and suddenly took out his cell phone, but before turning it on he saw his reflection- he looked groggily, he hardly got any sleep since he was driving all night and thank god there were a couple of gas stations that had a coffee machines.

"I have to find her, I'm only 3 states away till I get to California….I-I just have to find her." he slowly put his hands onto the wheel of the car, turned on the engine and stepped on the pedal of the car. He followed the GPS system what ever it said to him, sure there were some wrong turns here and there but he always got to where he wanted to be one step closer.

As he was driving along the road, he started thinking about the Glee club- did they find out he left already? How were his mom and Burt reacting to this? How was Kurt reacting to _this_? All of this thinking about home was making his stomach twist and turn in so many different ways, he just felt so cruel just leaving them. He turned on the radio up and began to bob his head to the music; he just needed to cover his emotional thoughts about home with music. Suddenly in one of the radio stations he was listening to, began to play an old song the Glee club sang last year when they were finishing the 10th grade, it was one of the songs he had a part to sing in with Mercedes, it was….'To sir, With love' and he couldn't help but sing along to it pretending Mercedes was right next to him.

* * *

"Mercedes you did great on your first day!" Jared said as he was wiping the bar table with a rag and wiping some martini glasses, while some other waiters were cleaning up some tables as well. It was one in the morning and everyone in the club had already left except the ones that worked there, like Mercedes- she thought she couldn't handle working here but once she began to associate with others that worked in the club and people who were just there to watch the musicians perform, she actually liked it.

"Hey thanks, I can't believe I did great too," she wiped back and forth the rag on top of a table she was cleaning, before she looked up at Jared. "I mean, I thought I would have done so badly today that you might have just fired me!"

"I had very high expectations for you, Cedes and I knew you were going to do good." he smiled back at her before looking down at the bar table he was wiping.

"Thanks again that really means lot to me, but I can't believe how well I'm doing here its a bit better than back home." Mercedes said as she pulled out a small chair behind her and sat down.

"Your welcome, but remember what I told you-" Mercedes cut him off once he passed her a glass of soda.

"Yeah, I know but I'm not ready yet...soon." Jared looked at her and shrugged his shoulders. He believed her when she said that but at the same time he knew that she wasn't going to go home straight away until she settles down her problems and fixes them.

"Okay, Mercedes," he gave her a warming smile then looked down at his watch. "Hey its getting late, I think I'll closed up you guys."

"Okay then, I'll see you tomorrow Jared, bye." said one girl named Allie who grabbed her coat from the coat racket and heading downstairs to the outside.

"Yeah, bye Jared." said one boy named Drew, who walked out to door downstairs.

"Bye guys." Jared waved back them then turned back at Mercedes. She looked around and walked over to the coat racket and grabbed her jacket, then slowly untied the apron she wore around her waist.

"I guess I have to go too." she said handling back the apron to Jared, he took it from her and smiled once again. Mercedes couldn't help but think why he always smiled at her, there wasn't at least one time he ever looked angry for the pass 13 hours she has met him, he almost reminds her of Brittany since there wasn't a time she was really mad at anything she was always so bubbly.

"Do you need me to drive you?" Jared asked and Mercedes shook her head for no. She put on her jacket on and walked over to Jared giving him a hug for hiring her, he took it as a surprise but slowly began to embrace it. He waved her goodbye and she waved back walking out the door and onto downstairs.

Once she got outside it it was a bit chilly so she wrapped her arms around her self and walked down the street. She started to look around her surroundings and smiled- even late at night the lights of California never seemed to stopped its excitement once she finally arrived here, she was glad this is where she'll be living for now on even though it wouldn't be very long. She really had started to think about school and her friends at home- will the Glee club win at Nationals? If she doesn't go home, will she fail her grade? There were so many things spinning in her head it was almost giving her a headache. She was finally walking towards the motel and quickly pulled out her keys to her door. Then once she arrived to the motel, she quickly went upstairs to the second floor and walked down to her door until she suddenly stopped and looked back to a bunch of passing cars, but one of them had their windows down and was playing a familiar song she used to sing back home with the Glee club. It was that song that she had a small part in but it was all worth because she got to sing with the one she loves- Finn. She closed her eyes and enter her keys inside the lock, then quietly sings the following lyrics pretending that Finn was right next her.

_If you wanted the sky_

_I would write across the sky in letters,_

_That would soar a thousand feet high,_

_To Sir, with Love_


	9. Problems, Home & Keys

**A/N: **Its been I while since I last update the story but here I AM! The reason why I took so long is one, I had to make this chapter 'very good'. Two, I had some problems on my own and now since there are no more problems, I was able to finish the chapter!

Anyways, I have also started another story but about the TV show True Blood, which is about my OC so check it out when you get a chance since its my first fanfic about the show!

Now I leave you to reading and I'm sorry if there's any mistakes, I just went back to finish writing this chapter today.

* * *

"_Meet me in the auditorium after school." _was all the little note said when Santana opened up her locker the following day. She smiled as she thought Sam was the one who gave her that note, maybe he wants to take their relationship to the next level. She closed her locker and walk down the empty hallway as only a few students that were getting out of school, she walk down and slowly turned to the left and reach up to the auditorium doors. She opened the doors and looked around as she walked down the lane, all the lights quickly turned on and still she didn't see Sam anywhere.

"Sam?" she called out as her voice echoed all around her surroundings. She was pretty sure why she was here and at the same time scared, what if he wanted to break up with her? Oh no, she hoped _that _wasn't why he asked her to come to the auditorium, just so her could do that- it would break her _very_ little heart that was becoming a bigger one because of him.

"Santana." an echo ran throughout the whole auditorium, which made Santana jump just a little bit, but somehow this voice sounded so familiar like if she heard it before.

"Sam why did you call me-" she quickly stop once she turned around and saw Jesse freaking St. James standing a few feet away from her. She crossed her arms and her eyes narrowed him from head to toe, she was ready to scream. "Oh fuck no, why the hell are you here St. Ass?

Jesse slowly walked towards her and his hands were in his pockets and smirking at her like he was planning to do something bad to her, which she wouldn't mind if it was Sam she was looking at…but no it had to be Jesse. "It's nice that you came Santana, I was expecting you."

"Well I thought Sam gave me that note." she said rolling her eyes at him trying to make herself looking more as a bigger bitch than she was, but she could tell it wasn't scaring him easily.

Jesse rolled his eyes, crossed his arms, and quickly found himself much closer to her that she did not even realize it until she had to look up at his face and ruffled hair. "Well, surprise."

She uncrossed her arms and with all the force she had, she pushed Jesse back and backed away from him. "Oh shut the hell up St. James, why the fuck am I here?"

Jesse slowly took off his jacket and threw it to the nearby chair; he quickly walked up towards Santana and held her hips close to him. She tried pushing him off but he budge to let go of her, he slowly reached down to her ear and whispered the softest yet, strange words she ever heard him ever say…to her. "You know what I want San, I want you."

She gulped and looked up at him very oddly, that made her questioned about everything since the beginning of Glee club; she also thought this was all too weird for her. She pushed him off and stared at him not knowing what to respond to that, but she took a chance. "W-when did _this _happen?"

"Ever since Sectionals, I thought you were absolutely breathtaking on that night. I mean, I can honestly say you looked a bit better than Rachel but I thought you were….beautiful-"

"Hold it there St. Ass; I can't believe your telling me this. I mean what about Rachel don't you like still care about her something?" she started walked around in circles and quickly stared right back at him. "That's why you came back right, not only help out the Glee club but also getting Rachel back since Finn ran away?" she asked as she suddenly stopped right in front of him.

"Well helping out the Glee club is _true_,and yes I still care about Rachel but I don't want to get back with her. I have new interest in something a bit _spicy_…and gorgeous." his hand lingered upon her soft skin as he slowly move his hand up and down, Santana quickly brushed off his hand and suddenly felt this sort of anger towards Jesse just because he liked her and if Sam found out he would have hurt him, but she also felt this type of anger because she felt this…sort of attraction towards Jesse that she didn't even know why.

It was probably because he was very seductive, or he was acting as if he was.

However, Jesse could not lie about his feelings, well at least now he cannot since the whole incident with Rachel. He honestly wanted to let his feelings out and his honest opinions about everything, but wasn't he doing that already? Now since he has come back to New Directions his eyes set upon someone new, someone so fierce, someone so complex that he swore she and him were at _least _a bit alike and that person had to be Santana. She was not like Rachel in any way, she wasn't like those other girls back in college or in Vocal Adrenaline, and she was….something out of this world.

In addition, for Jesse, he wanted her but a certain _someone_ was in his way…Sam.

Once he came back to New Directions he already heard Sam's name ringing in his ears as he and Mr. Schue were talking about who should take the lead since Finn ran away. Mr. Schue thought Sam would be perfect for his replacement and maybe if Rachel still didn't keep it together until Nationals then Santana could take her place as Lead. Jesse thought it would be a perfect plan, all he told Mr. Schue was that he needed to hear Sam sing in order for him to approve of becoming the male for New Directions. He became very confident about the ideas he and Mr. Schue were discussing about for Nationals and about Sam and Santana, until he heard the other reason why Mr. Schue wanted them as lead. They were dating. As soon as Jesse heard that, he suddenly felt a rare feeling that he hardly ever feels.

Jealously.

This type of jealously of him was much worse when Finn wanted Rachel back; this was very different even for him. When he sat in the choir room holding onto Rachel- who was crying about the news with Finn- he could not help but feel jealous when he saw Santana and Sam getting very close and their hands wrapped in each other, he wanted to feel that again but with the girl, he wants since Sectionals. He didn't really see that in Rachel once he got into college, but after thinking and thinking some more he finally realize that he was getting older and he wanted a real relationship.

Moreover, he was going to do whatever it takes, even if it might hurt someone along the way.

The auditorium was quiet as soon as Santana stopped talking and sat down not knowing what to say to Jesse or really how to react to all of this, I mean she flattered about him liking her and agreeing with him that she was gorgeous but this is Jesse were talking about. St. Douche, St. Ass, and St. Meanie as Brittany calls but even with so many nicknames he was always going to have that reputation for hurting New Directions after what he has done to them. She just didn't know how to react to like your former enemy that everyone hates even herself but she couldn't help but like his stupid ruffled hair, his black leather jacket and the way he walks it was hard and then again she…practically loves Sam. There was something about him that made her smile and laugh at his horrible impressions of Star War characters. She ran her hands over face and just imagined this was not happening to her, but of course, not Jesse was standing right there waiting for her to say something else.

"Well?" Jesse asked Santana he sat a seat ahead of her and turned his body around. Santana removed her hands over her face and looked up at him.

"What do you mean?" she asked. Santana was still speechless and did not know what to say to him as a response, this was something she never actually was part of and didn't know how hard it would be to love someone and like someone else.

"Do you feel the same way I do, San?" he was the fifth person to call her by that along with her mom, Brittany, Finn and Sam. She stared deep into his suddenly soft eyes and actually looked at him for him, sure Jesse has made mistakes in the past but sometimes people do actually change for the better, she just like her.

"Alright I'm not going to lie, but I think I'm started to feel something for okay," she got up from her seat, brushed her self off, and looked back at Jesse. "But because I got Sam, I am not going to let this go too far. So this," she gestured her hands back towards him and herself. "Is not going to happen, understand?"

Jesse got up from his seat and put his hands into his pockets. "I guess but my feelings won't Santana, even if yours do."

She suddenly began to grabbed her bag from a seat and walked away from him and didn't even looked once at him but then she felt a sudden cringe around her body once he said, "Even if you love him, you still feel something for me."

* * *

He felt the sun beam up his face and hit his eyes as he passed by the soft blue skies of California and watching people passing by in their short jeans and bathing suit top's walking along the sandy beaches. He already could feel the new air going through his car with his windows down and the volume up for the radio. He was here; he was finally here in search for the girl that he loves. He was going to search day and night at every Motel or Hotel in California whatever it takes just to get her by his side, he wasn't going to stop until actually saw that smile that always lighted up the choir room back home in Ohio.

He was going to find Mercedes.

At first, it was a bit confusing where to go now he was here because he wanted to search around at the first area he was in once he arrived here. He saw one Hotel and decided to check it out, ready in hand with her picture but then coming up with a fail she wasn't there. Then after driving to another area he saw some Motel's there but no success after that, even though he thought he actually came close of seeing Mercedes but mistakenly it was just another girl who looked like her, well somewhere around that because Mercedes was so much prettier than her. He droved a while after that then stopped for some lunch and asked the waiter if she seen Mercedes, she said no but thought Finn was cute and it was nice he was interested in a girl like Mercedes.

Finn thought the girl already knew what was going on with him even telling her. After getting his food and paying the waitress with a tip, he left for his adventure once again. He didn't care if it was going to take him a week to look around California, he was already anxious to hold Mercedes in his arms that he gripped the wheel of the car just thinking about it. But it was also nerve-racking, what if he never finds her? It would be a total devastating thing for him to go through but then again he will still try to find her in any way possible, even if it stops him going to high school.

It's only been almost 48 hours since Finn left Quinn, Glee Club and everyone else back home- even if some people thought it was the worst decision he could have ever made just to search for a girl that he loves he didn't care. Finn was ready to make a change in his life now- he wasn't going to care about what anyone thinks about him anymore, he was prepare to become a better leader if he finds Mercedes and heads back home to Ohio, he was wanting to change. However, there was some doubt in all of this, he was afraid he wouldn't do it. He was afraid he would care about what people think of him again and would become what everyone wants him to become. He was scared that if he came back home with Mercedes, he will be a horrible leader to the Glee Club and be kicked out, which he didn't want that to happen.

He rubbed his eyes to keep the sleepiness; he knew he should have brought those five hour energy shots to keep him wide-awake, but maybe next time when he makes a pit stop. The day was halfway gone and Finn practically spend all morning and afternoon going through Motels and Hotel in search for Mercedes, but still no luck. He was ready to give up hope but his heart told him to keep on going, he was somewhere never her and he could definitely feel it. He knew that she likes him more than a friend and maybe once he finds her they will rekindle and she could love him back too, but Finn was thinking excessively ahead of himself…he just had to wait and see.

* * *

"Thank you so much, I'll be here next week folks!" yelled out an elderly man getting off the small stage as he just finished performing a jazz and blues number. Mercedes stood there in awe as she watch this elder took over the whole stage with his powerful words that made the audience actually listen to them, it wanted her to become something like that. She wanted people to understand what she has gone through in her songs when she becomes famous, but she knew getting the starlight would be a far chance, but now since she lives in California she can make her dreams almost to reality if she actually goes for it.

The old man walked by Mercedes and she softly patted him on the shoulder. "Excuse me but I thought you were amazing!" she grinned so hard it began to hurt so much but she couldn't denied how she truly felt about that song the old man singed, it got her so inspired.

"Hey your welcome young lady! I always come here every week to share my gift to everyone around me, I think people should listen to my songs because they are stories of my life." he said pulling off the strap from his guitar that was around him.

"Nice. I want to be up there," Mercedes eyes landed onto the small stage, which was dimmed by a few lights and had a one microphone. "I want people to hear me, for me not what they usually see on the outside."

"Well," the old man said putting his guitar into its case and closed it then stared back up at her. "Why don't you do it then? I obviously could tell you have a wonderful voice that was made to be heard loud and clear for everyone's ears to be tingled once they hear you. Do what your heart desires more, even if it may take year but it would be all worth it in the end." and with that the old man left Mercedes speaking the truth about what she always wanted to be in life, now she was actually going to try but not now, she had other things to worried about.

She's been thinking about Finn lately.

She misses the way he smiles at her whenever she nailed a great performance, she misses how goofy he looked whatever he was confused about something that Mr. Schue said or what Rachel said then Mercedes would be the one to explain to him, in a way that he would understand. And she hated that feeling like her stomach were tying themselves whenever she thought of him, because then she'll regret of ever leaving home, then she'll have to live of being the third wheel whenever Kurt invites her somewhere with Blaine-which of course there was nothing wrong with Blaine it was just that…she didn't want to interrupt there moments together. Now besides thinking about Finn, she has been thinking about how her mom was feeling, she just felt so horrible about leaving but thought it was best for her even though Mercedes does not make good decisions. She thinks about how her mom would pace around her room knowing that her little girl wasn't around her anymore but then she thought how her mom would approach her father and tell him that his little girl was gone, she knew it would not go well. She wondered how people were doing back home in the Glee Club?

Maybe they were happy, now that one member was gone…

Maybe when they go to Nationals Finn will finally get Rachel back and make her his again, or he might stay with Quinn but Mercedes knew there relationship wouldn't really go nowhere since Rachel is in the middle of it all. But she had no say in anyone's relationship; she just wished that Finn was a bit smarter to not go to either girl because they cheated on him. Overall, there was just one question that was left in her head once she got to California…how did Finn handled the letter that she made him? She figured that her mom called him over once she saw there were two letters that she left him and for her, the thought of him reading the letter was almost nerve-racking.

She thought he would just throw the letter away and forget about her.

* * *

Gabby Jones sat in her living room sofa with the letter that Mercedes left behind in her hand and a small glass of water on the other. She wasn't prepared for this, hell, she was scared to tell her Jonathan Jones that his daughter decided to runaway and come back whenever she thought it was time to. Now, she understood that the news about her and Jonathan divorcing had took a total effect on Mercedes but she didn't think it hurt her too much but now she wished she would have never thought of that. Mercedes always saw her parents smiling and having the time of their lives because they were so in love, they were like two little teenagers again, whenever Mercedes were with them but now it wasn't like that anymore.

Years gone by and things began to change between Jonathan and Gabby they just seemed to distances themselves away from each other since Jonathan began to work extra hours at work to pay the bills and whatever was necessary, but all Gabby wanted from everything Jonathan has given her was him. She didn't need all the jewelry in the world or the gifts he would give her all she wanted was him to just hold her again as he used to back then. Now, things have change and they will never go back to the way things were and that's what killed Gabby in the inside- her daughter ran away and she still in love with her husband.

She knew he wouldn't go back to her, not anymore.

Gabby flinched once she heard the doorbell ringed, she put the letter, glass of water down on the table and got up walked over to the door then quickly forced herself a small smile on her face. "Hello, Jonathan."

The older man stood over her and smiled back at her. "Hi Gabby, may I come in?" he asked as he peeked over her to see the inside.

"Oh, of course." she let him pass by her and he walked inside the house and stood in the same spot where he stop until Gabby closed the door and followed him into the living room. "I have something to tell you…"

"You sounded worry over the phone, what's going on?" Jonathan stared at her as they stand right across from each other only a few inches away, still the sight of him being here began to burn Gabby's heart.

"I think its best if you still down..." Gabby said

* * *

The day was almost done and Finn still didn't find Mercedes, he was starting doubt himself. He parked the car in front of a small diner; the lights glimmered across the car as he got out of it. He went inside the diner and only a few people looked at him, while everyone just seemed mind their own business and eat their food. He found a seat in the back on the side where the windows were, he looked around the whole place and chuckled to himself slightly- 1950's décor splattered across the wall as at least two Elvis poster were on the walls as well as other famous celebrities back then. Then a petite young brunette walked towards, all smiles and handed him the menu.

"Hello, Sir, do you have ideas of what you want?" she asked kindly as her green eyes twinkled towards the light, he nodded his head and handed back the menu.

"Oh yeah, um…a burger with fries and a sprit soda, thank you." he said to her as she took the menu away from him and walked away from him. Finn quickly pulled out his cell phone and looked at the time.

It was 10:05 PM and yet no Mercedes.

He sighed and thought back of earlier today- he checked him into a small motel and only stayed there to take a shower and take a nap, since he hardly got any sleep from driving all the way from Ohio. His eyes averted away from phone and looked up to see a group of young girls around 15 years old, smiling at him, then as a response Finn showed his endearing smile at them making the group of girls giggle even more and some actually blushed. He looked away at them then looked at the window…something caught his eye.

It was a motel and from far view, he could see a women sitting down in a desk.

How did he not see this motel earlier! He passed by this diner plenty of times but how didn't he even notice there was even a motel right across the street? Once his food came back, he quickly wolfed it down and the tip the waitress at least 10 dollars, then left the diner. He was standing in the edge of the sidewalk waiting for the light to turn red so he could cross, then once the light turned red he ran as fast as he can towards the motel until he was losing his breath.

He slowly breath in and out then slowly walked inside the small building where the receptionist was sitting, looking through some books. She looked up at him and arched her brows; he looked at her then saw her nametag on the left side of her shirt.

It said 'Karen'.

"Hello, what can I do for you today?" she asked sweetly, as she leaned in forward.

"Um, I'm actually looking for someone and I was wondering if you seen this girl before…" he slowly pulled out a picture of Mercedes from his pocket and showed it to her, then her mouth made an 'O' shape then her eyes averted back and forth to him and the picture.

"…Yes." she said, Finn's heart began to race immediately once he heard her say 'yes', he took back the picture.

"You have! Do you know where she has gone?" he asked frantically. "I've been looking everywhere for her because I wanted to tell her that I…love her."

Karen then turned her back towards him at pulled out a small key from others she has in her wall. She slowly put in front of his face and smiled, then jingled the keys. "Why don't you find out on the second floor?"

He opened his hand and she let the keys drop to his hand. "Thank you so much!" he ran out of the building the and towards the stairs that led up to the second floor. Once he arrived on to the second he slowly walked down the hall and looked at every door, until at the last few doors that were down the hall he found a door that matched with the key that Karen gave him.

He slowly gulped and became very hesitant, what if this wasn't Mercedes and if it was what if Mercedes rejects him? He was scared, he finally found her after Eight hours of driving, going to different motels and hotels wishing that one them Mercedes was there waiting for him. Besides, of being scared, he was incredibly nervous as well but he has to go on and let the seconds pass, now that this was the moment.

He slowly reached his hand up, made a fist and knocked on the door twice. "I'm coming." he heard a female voice say, now he felt he was going to pass out because that voice was so familiar to him. He suddenly heard the hinges opening, and then the doorknob turning until the door was open.

It was her.

Her hair was down and her bangs were on the side of her forehead, she was wearing purple pajama's and her eyes were wide open once she saw Finn. Her mouth made an 'O' but then it slowly was turning into a very small smile.

"Mercedes…"


End file.
